January 1523

King Henry will release the Signory's galleys on the following four conditions:—

1st. The Signory to give security to the amount of 100,000 ducats, as a guarantee that they will not side with France.

2ndly. The customs duties which are now paid [by the merchants of Venice?] by instalments to be henceforth paid in ready money.

3rdly. The Signory to undertake to send a squadron (una muda) of galleys annually to England.

4thly. The King to retain for himself the guns of the galleys.

Dated 1st January. Registered by Sanuto, 23rd January.

[Italian.]

Jan. 1. Sanuto Diaries, v. xxxiii. p. 503.

609. Question of Precedence.

The Doge, apparelled in a mantle of crimson satin lined with ermine, with a cape, and robe of crimson satin beneath, entered St. Mark's Church with the French and Imperial ambassadors. The English ambassador did not come, in order not to take place below the French ambassador, who wanted to take precedence of Sanchez.

[Italian.]

Jan. 3. Senato Terra, v. xxii. p. 143.

610. Import Permit for Richard Pace.

Put to the ballot, that a licence be given to the reverend ambassador from the most serene King of England to bring into Venice 3½ kilderkins (amphore) of wine, duty free, according to the auction contract [stipulated with the farmers of the wine duties?].

Ayes, 175. Noes, 4. Neutrals, 2.

[Italian, 3 lines.]

Jan. 3. Sanuto Diaries, v. xxxiii. p. 505.

611. Pace in Venice.

Motion made in the Senate to give the English ambassador 3½ kilderkins (anfore) from the office of the wine duties, and 12 kilderkins to the Imperial ambassador Hironimo Adorno.

Ayes, 175. Noes, 4. Neutrals, 2.

Jan. 5. Original Letter Book, St. Mark's Library, Letter no. 195.

612. Gasparo Contarini to the Signory.

Understands on good authority that the King of France has fitted out four ships in Normandy to bring spices from the Moluccas, following the example of the Emperor, who, as already stated, is preparing five other vessels to repeat the voyage, which may possibly be thwarted by such rivalry, and the spice trade resume its track by way of Syria.

Valladolid, 5th January 1523.

[Italian, 1 page.]

Jan. 5. Original Letter Book, St. Mark's Library, Letter no. 194.

613. Gasparo Contarini to the Council of Ten.

The Emperor's sister, the Queen of Portugal, having become a widow, the Bishop of Cordova and the Count of Caura were sent to escort her hither. Her coining is postponed, she being apparently with child by the present King, her step-son.

Valladolid, 5th January 1523.

[Italian, ½ page.]

Jan. 7. Sanuto Diaries, v. xxxiii. p. 533.

614. Lodovico Spinelli, Venetian Secretary in England, to the Signory.

If the King of France enters Italy, the King of England will muster troops and cross over to France, and send lansquenets over the Alps for the defence of the Milanese.

With regard to the galleys, the “master,” Sebastian Falier, is negotiating their release by means of a bribe through Wolsey's physician. (fn. 1)

Dated 7th January. Registered by Sanuto, 31st January.

[Italian.]

Jan. 7. Sanuto Diaries, v. xxxiii. p. 506.

615. Pace's Negotiations.

In the morning the French ambassador came into College. He is doing his utmost to thwart the agreement with the Emperor, and persuades the Signory to keep faith with King Francis and not to desert him.

This morning Hironimo Adorno went with his retinue to see the jewels of St. Mark; and in the afternoon he and his colleague Sanchez and the English ambassador went to the Legate [Tommaso Campeggio], (fn. 2) to speak to him about the matter now in course of negotiation.

[Italian.]

Jan. 10. Sanuto Diaries, v. xxxiii. p. 535.

616. Francesco Chieregato, Bishop of Teramo, (fn. 3) to the Marquis of Mantua.

We are occupied with the negotiations for the general war against the Turk, and for that particular war against that nefarious Martin Luther, who is a greater evil to Christendom than the Turk. It is not known what will be the result of these two most important matters. Prays God to bring them to the like good end as obtained by the first (sic). To this effect fails not to employ all possible diligence. Assures the Marquis that the affair of Luther is so rooted there, that a thousand men would not suffice to eradicate it;
still less can he, being alone by himself, accomplish this result. Will do what he can. Is subjected to threats, outrages, defamatory libels, and all such insults as can possibly be borne. Believes that the affair has gone such lengths that it can proceed no further. They have now commenced preaching that the sacrament of the altar is not the real (vero) sacrament, and should not be adored, but merely celebrated (fn. 4) in memory of Christ. They have also alleged that the blessed Virgin was entitled to no merit for bearing Christ in the holy womb, and. that she had several children by Joseph, and they daily go from bad to worse. Prays God to stretch forth his arm. Still hopes that with the divine assistance it may be possible to apply some good remedy before the close of this Diet.

The Diet of Prague has ended, and the Bohemians promised the King more than he asked. Has received a letter from his Majesty [Lewis, King of Bohemia and Hungary,] stating that he intends to remain in Bohemia until the Purification [2nd February], and in the meanwhile will prorogue the Diet of Buda in Hungary.

This Diet of ours will also last until the Purification, though circumstances may delay it a few days longer.

Nuremberg, 10th Jan. 1523. Registered by Sanuto, 31st Jan.

[Italian.]

Jan. 10. Deliberazioni Senato Secreta, v. xlix. p. 149.

617. Proposed League between Venice and Charles V.

Summary of the articles read by the Imperial ambassadors to the three auditors and [by these last] to the Senate.

II. The Signory to retain peaceable possession of all the places now held by them.

VIII. Power to be reserved for the Pope and the King of England to join the confederacy, they being the conservators of this agreement and arbitrators in such differences as may arise thence.

IX. Both parties to name their confederates. The Emperor will name Florence and Mantua.

[Italian, 31 lines.]

Jan. 13. Sanuto Diaries, v. xxxiii. p. 552.

618. Antonio Surian to the Signory.

He is almost well. The oarsmen of the Signory's galleys have all departed.

London, 13th January. Registered by Sanuto, 17th February.

[Italian.]

Jan. 19. Deliberazioni Senato Secreta, v. xlix. p. 149, tergo.

619. Decree of the Senate.

The Senate being fully acquainted with the negotiations for peace and confederacy with the Emperor, and the Imperial ambassadors pressing for a reply,—Put to the ballot that they be answered thus:—

I. With regard to the preamble there is no occasion to say anything, as it will hereafter be drawn up in suitable form.

VII. To the seventh article, respecting the comprehension of the Pope and the King of England, and their appointment as conservators of the league, the Signory reply that by reason of their respect for the Pope and his English Majesty, this is agreeable to them, but that the league cannot be concluded until the assent and ratification of the Archduke [Ferdinand] be obtained, and the mutual restitution of places taken during the war with the late Emperor Maximilian be negotiated.

IX. The last article is usual and very fair.

Ayes, 171. Noes, 37. Neutral, 6.

[Italian, 3 pages.]

Jan. 19. Misti Consiglio X., v. xlv. p. 125, tergo.

620. Richard Pace.

Motion made in the Council of Ten with the Junta. The noble Georgio Cornaro, knight and procurator, to hold a private conference alone with the Reverend Richard Pace, the English ambassador resident here, and assure him that the Signory relies on him for concluding this holy peace as advantageously for the State as if the interests of his own King were concerned.

On this account, should his Lordship contrive with his usual address, according to the offer made by him, that the reply given today in the Senate to the clauses proposed by the Imperial ambassadors, be accepted, the Signory, to mark the love she bears his Lordship, will make him a present of 4,000 ducats; viz., 2,000 forthwith, and 2,000 after the mutual restitution shall have been made by both parties; and the State will never be ungrateful for his good operations.

Ayes, 9. Noes, 15. Neutrals, 0.

[Italian, 17 lines.]

Jan. 23. Sanuto Diaries, v. xxxiii. p. 523

621. Pace's Negotiations.

This morning the English ambassador came into the College, and the Signory complained bitterly to him of the proceedings of his King, who will not release the Flanders galleys. Much was said on this subject. Piero Capello, sage of the Council, grew angry with Pace, using certain expressions which made the latter very wroth; and whereas Pace has hitherto exerted himself to effect the agreement, he has now cooled greatly.

[Italian.]

Jan. 31. Sanuto Diaries, v. xxxiii. p. 535.

622. Entertainment in honour of the Imperial Ambassadors and Richard Pace.

Today the ambassador of the Marquis of Mantua sent to inform the Signory that next week he intends to give an entertainment at his own house to the Imperial and English ambassadors, and to invite 25 Venetian gentlewomen. He therefore requested that on this occasion the ladies might have leave to come dressed in cloth of gold and ornaments (foze), as before the Act. (fn. 5) So the Signory sent for the proveditors for sumptuary laws (pompe), requesting
them to grant the permission. They said that as the Act had been printed, they were hound to enforce it, and could not give leave. The Signory, however, might pass a motion to gratify the Mantuan ambassador; but the motion was not made.